I basically have the palate of an 11-year-old. If I were left to my own devices I would probably eat pizza, tacos, french fries, ice cream and cookies for almost every meal. These things remain my favorites even though I have gained an appreciation for fancier stuff like oysters, truffles, curry, sushi etc.. I’m a little afraid of deep frying, which is probably a good thing, but it normally prevents me from making fries at home. I’ve been experimenting with oven fries for as long as I can remember but was never completely satisfied with the results. Until now. read more+++

I spend a lot of time in NYC, it is my other hometown. Most of my closest friends live there and I try to visit as often as possible. Our favorite pastime is eating. They take me to their favorite places which quickly become my favorite places. One of these favorites is Mercadito, a small Mexican restaurant in the east village with really outstanding food and superb drinks. A while back, Mercadito opened a new space, just across Avenue B from their old space, called Mercadito Cantina. It is a slicker more designy space but the food is equally delicious. I was particularly impressed with the green rice casserole I ordered. It was a mix of melted cheese and perfectly flavored rice topped with more deliciously browned cheese. It was amazing. I have thought of it often since. read more+++

Northerners don’t understand cornbread. We turn it into a dessert. A sweet cake instead of a savory bread. And then we serve it with supper. I admit that some of the sweetened cornbreads are good, but they should be called corn cake, and served as dessert with some roasted fruit or ice cream.

But imagine if that sweetened cornbread were turned into a cookie, a legitimate dessert. A delicious, buttery, chewy-centered, crisp-edged cookie. This is that cookie. It is surprisingly good. After our first bite, we were unsure but by the last bite we were 100% positive we had found a delicious recipe. These manage to be both unusual and familiar at the same time. I think they would be best showcased alongside a dish of buttermilk ice cream, unfortunately I was too lazy to make the ice cream. Next time. read more+++

First things first. Thanks to all of you lovely people who voted for Lottie + Doof as your favorite home cooking blog over at The Kitchn. I really appreciate the support. I know the contest was sort of confusing and that it was difficult to vote, but I am happy to have participated. I started Lottie + Doof as a place to share what I was cooking and thinking with anyone who wanted to listen (I am still surprised that anyone includes people other than my close friends). Not only do you read- you have all been so supportive. I truly appreciate it. I will happily keep cooking and recording what I eat here. I also hope to add some special guest features and more restaurant and book reviews in upcoming months. I think exciting things are ahead for L + D. read more+++

Right before the holiday craziness began, I baked a cake for a coworker’s baby shower. It seemed like a good reason to try out a layer cake recipe from Sky High. I baked this beauty late at night and cursed a lot while putting it together, but folks— this was amazingly delicious. read more+++

I really like tomato soup. I would even go so far as to say it is my favorite soup and this tomato soup is one of the best I have ever eaten. Better than the tomato soup at Bread, better than the tomato soup at Nordstrom Cafe (which is surprisingly good for a department store restaurant), better than any I know. It is relatively easy to make and comes together quickly. I make this pretty regularly during the winter and never get tired of it. Let it offer you some comfort on a cold snowy day (it is 4° F in Chicago right now). It is particularly nice with some Parmesan toasts to dunk into it. Or maybe some mozzarella melted on top. Some fresh chives? Feel free to improvise. read more+++

I made this lasagna for Bryan on our third date. That was three years ago. What can I say, the lasagna works. A few nights ago we made this together for the first time since that third date. I have no idea why we waited so long to return to this dish that had been a regular in my kitchen since the late 90’s. read more+++

More cranberries. I can’t help myself. Soon it will be summer and they won’t be available, I have to think about the future!

read more+++

My favorite dish at this year’s Thanksgiving dinner was this Potato Gratin recipe, courtesy of Frank Stitt’s Southern Table. Stitt’s cookbook has been very reliable, it is also such a beautiful book that I enjoy flipping through it whenever I can. It took some convincing for Bryan to agree to a Thanksgiving dinner with no mashed potatoes, he’s a traditionalist, but after he tasted these he was glad he agreed. read more+++

Wow, these were some good cookies. I made them to celebrate my friend Sarah’s 10,000th day. The fact that I almost made them again less than a week later is proof that you need to try them. There are very few recipes that I repeat—why bother when there is so much left to try? This is a recipe I will make again and again. These delicate sandwich cookies melt in your mouth and the combination of the toasted, nutty, buttery cookie with the tangy, sweet cream cheese filling is really all I could ask for in a sweet. I might go make some right now. read more+++